9 Detox Superfoods: Fruits

What Are Superfoods?

We’ve heard a lot about superfoods and what they’re used for, from helping you to lose weight, to prolonging lifespan, but what are they really? Well it’s actually more of a marketing term than a scientific one, but the general idea is that it refers to foods which are much more nutrient-dense than the usual suspects. In other words, they are meant to have a lot more of the good stuff and a lot less of the bad stuff; however, this term is often misused because it can refer to a food which actually contains natural toxins which aren’t good for you (i.e. some seaweeds).

In addition to this, there’s no definitive list of superfoods, but that hasn’t stopped us from putting together a list of our favourite superfood, superfruits! These are our go-to fruits whenever we want to detox the tasty way.

Get Your Fruit Squeaky-Clean!

Unless you buy organic (and we try to), your fruit can get a ton of pesticide residue on it (especially apples and melons, which are some of the worst offenders)… So what to do? Well, we got a helpful tip on how to wash your fruit the easy-peasy way.

Fill your clean sink halfway with lukewarm water.

Add 1 cup of white vinegar and mix.

Add your fruit and soak for about 10 minutes. Then rinse!

Voila! Clean fruit and no vinegar taste (rinse well).

So, now that you know how to get your fruit squeaky-clean, let’s get on to our favourite detox superfood, superfruits!

Apples

Turns out it’s not just an old wives’ tale, apples really are good for you. Here’s why:

Excellent for detoxification.

Rich in both soluble and insoluble fibre.

Good source of pectin, which can help detox metals and food additives from your body.

Rich in a special form of soluble fibre: pectin; which helps to prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls (reducing risk of arteriosclerosis and heart disease); which helps clear out dangerous heavy metals (like lead and aluminium).

Richest fruit source of vitamin E.

Good source of vitamin A, C, biotin and folic acid.

Eat apples with skin; almost half of the vitamin C content is just underneath the skin; also increases insoluble fibre content – which provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system.

Apples are extremely high in phytochemicals – compounds which help prevent disease and cell damage; again the highest concentration of phytochemicals is found in the apple skin.

Also high in the mineral boron which helps strengthen bones.

Important! Non-organic apples are one of the top pesticide-residue containing food. So go organic with this one if you can.

Go Red! Pink and red grapefruit also contain more vitamin A, iron and vitamin C than white grapefruit. Red grapefruit is higher in antioxidants than white grapefruit; the deeper the color the more lycopene (a cartenoid) it contains.

Watermelon

A beautiful fruit all the way from the delicious red center to the incredible lime green outer. This is such a sweet and juicy fruit that it’s almost too good to be true. This can’t possibly be healthy… but it is:

Watermelon is about 90% water, but also a natural diuretic due to high levels of cucurbocitrin.

A cup of watermelon contains about 20% adult RDA of vitamins A and C.

An excellent source of vitamin B6.

A very good source of the carotenoid lycopene (studies point to beneficial effect of lycopene on prostrate health). A better source than even fresh tomatoes (but not canned ones).

High in glutathione; considered by many as the body’s most important antioxidant because it is found in every cell.

Watermelon seed kernels are also a good source of both potassium and magnesium.

Lemon

Wow! You want a tangy, zingy fruit, you got it. While we probably couldn’t eat a whole one (we haven’t actually tried), lemon makes a great zesty drizzle to your detox fruit salad. Or throw a couple of slices into a glass of water, add some ginger and pow: a thoroughly refreshing detox drink.

Rich in bioflavonoids: powerful antioxidants which help protect against oxidative stress and free radical damage.

Alkalizing effect on the body. Even though they have the highest citric acid content than any other fruit, lemons actually have an alkaline effect on the body when metabolised (i.e. alkaline forming). This is because citric acid is only a weak acid and the overall nutrients in a lemon are alkaline.

High in the soluble fibre pectin; which helps lower cholesterol, can protect against metabolic syndrome and improves intestinal environment (i.e. the good bacteria).

Lemon water can also aid digestion by stimulating your liver to create more bile (a digestive juice).

Lemon juice is a natural antiseptic and diuretic.

Add 1 tbsp. of olive oil to lemon juice and water for extra digestive stimulating action!

Pineapple

The spiky exterior defies the super-sweet interior of this tasty fruit. So even though it may be a bit hard to handle, it’s worth it:

The pineapple is the only edible fruit from the bromeliad family and stops ripening the moment it is picked.

Bromelain, an enzyme found abundantly in the stem and core of the pineapple, helps with digestion. Also known for its’ anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties; pineapple helps reduce mucus (so is good if you have a cold).

Low in calories, fat free and rich in fibre.

Excellent source of vitamin C.

Excellent source of manganese which is important in energy production and antioxidant defense, as well as strong bones and connective tissue.